The Washington State Supreme Court will conduct its first fully remote oral arguments in a case being heard on Thursday, April 23, at 9 a.m. The arguments will be conducted in the Zoom platform and will be broadcast live by TVW as well as live-streamed on the TVW website. The oral arguments can be viewed either live or later in archive at https://www.tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2020041052.

Only one case is scheduled for hearing on April 23, Colvin v. Inslee, which involves emergency actions requested by inmates of the state Department of Corrections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Supreme Court will conduct all oral arguments on its May schedule through remote technology, with TVW broadcasting and/or live-streaming the hearings.

“While we look forward to returning to in-person hearings when it is safe to do so, we are fully committed to observing social distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19,” said Chief Justice Debra L. Stephens. “While the Temple of Justice is closed to the public, we are fortunate to be able to do almost all of the court’s work remotely, and video conferencing among the justices is working well.”

Justices have been using remote technology to meet to conduct Supreme Court business, and used the Zoom platform on April 10 to consider an emergency motion in the Colvin v. Inslee case. For the April 23 oral arguments, Justice Stephens and Supreme Court Bailiff Guy Rosser will log into the remote hearing from the Supreme Court courtroom in the Temple of Justice in Olympia, while other justices will join from their offices or private locations. Attorneys in the case will be able to join from their own locations.

Remote technology has been used previously by Washington courts in some circumstances, but now is being significantly expanded in courts throughout the state in order to conduct proceedings and hearings necessary to keep urgent actions and cases moving forward. In order to help support further expansion, the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) is making web-based video-conferencing platforms available to every judicial officer in Washington, and is also working on a statewide resource to support the electronic signing of court documents.

A new Virtual Court Proceedings directory is also being developed by AOC as a location for courts to contribute information on hearings being conducted with remote technology — listed by county and specific appellate court. The directory will help provide transparency regarding remote court proceedings, and will be updated regularly when virtual court proceedings are scheduled.

The judicial branch’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic — including Supreme Court orders regarding adjustment in operations and links to information and resources — can be found on a dedicated web page at www.courts.wa.gov/COVID19.

“The unprecedented situation we now face requires that the entire judicial branch move to remote proceedings whenever possible,” Justice Stephens said. “We will continue to work hard to develop new systems that maintain access to justice while protecting the health and safety of all participants in court proceedings.”

– Washington Courts